FIG. 2 shows the arrangement of a conventional video printer, in which a television set 2, for outputting a video picture which is to be printed, is connected to a video printer 1, which is connected in turn to a monitor television set 3 for monitoring a picture to be printed. The output video signal of the television set 2 is applied through the video printer 1 to the monitor television set 3, so as to be displayed thereon. Upon depression of a predetermined switch at a predetermined time instant, a video signal of one frame or one field is stored in a memory provided in the video printer. Simultaneously, the video signal applied to the monitor television set 3 is switched from the output of the television set 2 over to the output of the memory of the video printer, so that the picture stored in the memory is detected by the monitor television set 3. When another predetermined switch is depressed with a printing sheet placed in the video printer 1, the picture stored in the memory is printed out.
As is apparent from the above description, the conventional video printer requires both the monitor television set 3 and the television set 2 to be connected externally thereof. Therefore, the conventional video printer is disadvantageous in that the wiring connections are intricate, and the video printer and its peripheral devices occupy a relatively large space. Accordingly, it is not practical to use the conventional video printer together with a so-called audio-visual (AV) system; i.e., audio devices and video devices such as a video tape recorder and a video disc player. Since it is impractical to use the conventional video printer with a variety of audio-visual equipment, the conventional printer is greatly limited in its possible applications and configurations. Therefore, the conventional video printer's commercialization potential is negatively affected.
In view of the foregoing, an object of this invention is to provide a video printer which occupies a relatively small area even when combined with an AV system, and which can print out more than one picture in combination, thus having many additional values and features.